Automatic spoke-inserting machine.



J. W. PEPLINSKI & G. F. THAYER.

AUTOMATIC SPOKE INSERTING MAGHINE.

' APPLIOATIONJ'ILED JULY26, 190a.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

ANDREW. E'JIRAHAIJI cu. Pnmo-umoumvuzns. wnsnmaron. n. c

XE-masses.-

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

4 sums-$112111 z.

I verlturs.

J. W. PEPLINSKI & 0.. F. THAYER.

AUTOMATIC SPOKE INSERTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25, 1908.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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Alnnew, 5 mmlm 00., PMmLlVl lOGRlPl-XERS. WASHINGTON. n. u

marrnn STATES PATENT Erie.

JULIUS W. PEPLINSKI AND CLARK F. THAYER, OF- ERIE, PENNSYLVANIAASSIGNORS TO H. N. THAYER COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

AUTOMATIC SPOKE-INSERTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JULIUS W. PEP- LINSKI and CLARK F. THAYER, citizens of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Spoke-Inserting Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

Our invention relates to automatic spoke inserting machines, for use in constructing childrens velocipede, andwagonwheels and baby carriage and go-cart wheels, and has for its object the construction of mechanism adapted to center the spoke-hole through the rim at a given point, draw the spoke backward and osition the outer end thereof in concentric a inement with'the spoke-hole in the rim, move the spoke forward so as to insert the outer end thereof through the proper hole in the wheel rim, and finally to pinch or flatten the end of the spoke so that it cannot be withdrawn from the hole in the wheel-rim while the rest of the spokes are being inserted into their respective holes in the wheel-rim.

In carrying out our invention we have devised a form of mechanism embodying our ldeas the features of which are hereinafter more fully pointed out and explained, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a like view of the under side of the same, the legs thereof of mounting the spoke-clamping jaws there on. Fig. 7 is an edgewise view of the same. Fig. 8 is an endwise View of the same.

. In these drawings A is the frame-plate of the machine, which is provided with a slideopening A in which We mount a slide A upon which slide we secure a wheel-spindle A upon which the hub a of a wheel with its projecting spokes may be placed. Upon the front end of the slide A we mount in suitable ways a a, a vertical slide B, which slide is provided with vertical shoulders or ribs 12 b on its face, between which we mount spoke-clamping jaws B B by means of suita le pivots, the lower ends of said jaws B being provided with a toggle b b of ordinary construction.

In front of the vertical slide B within vertical ways a in the frame A, (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5) we mount a vertically slidable block or rim support C, which is provided with an upward projection C on its upper end, in the top of which projection or shoulder C we make a V-shaped cut 0 for the purpose hereinafterset forth. This su port C supports the front edge of the whee -rim, and for the purpose of supporting the rear edge thereof we have provided a semi-circular rim support C (see Fig. 1) which we secure upon the slide A Upon the top of the frame A in line with the slide'A in suitable ways or guides a we mount a hollow cylindrical slide D, and with inv the cylindrical slide D, we place another slide D, the slide D being adapted to slide forward so that the tip d on the front end thereof will extend through a spoke-hole in a wheel-rim when the same is placed in position on the support C, as shown in Fig. 5, and the slide D beingadapted to then slide forward and clamp the wheel-rim against the projection or shoulder C of the support O, when the tip d on the slide I) may be drawn backward from the wheel-rim. In order to operate these slides D and D with yielding pressures, we provide them with the spiral springs d and d against which springs the operative power is exerted. The sides of the slide D are slotted at the front end as shown in Fig. 5, to permit the swages E E hereinafter described, 'to enter and press against the end of the spoke when it extends through the wheel-rim and into the cylindrical cavity in the front end of the slide D.

Upon the top of the frame A at each side of the rim support C, we place horizontally slidable blocks E E, which are mounted in suitable ways E. These blocks E are provided at their inner ends with spoke pinching 5 or flattening swages E E adapted when they are moved forward, to meet against opposite sides of a spoke when thrust through a hole in a wheel-rim placed upon the support 0. V The waysE are provided withlan ad- 0 justable take-up 6 adapted to take up any wear that may occur from the operation of the machine.

In order to force the spoke downward into position in the apex of the V-shaped cut 0 in the top of the projection C, we'provide a vertioa lly movable plunger F which is mounted in a suitable guide F supported above the frame A by any suitable means but preferably by means of the posts F F and yoke F, as shown. The lower end of the slide F is provided with a blockf, having an inverted V-shaped cut in the bottom thereof, said b'lockf being so positioned that when it is moved downward the blockfjust passes the projection C on the support C, when said rim-support O is in its upward position.

For'operating the hereinbefore described mechanism We have provided bearings G G at one end of the frame A, and'G G at one side thereof. In the bearings G we mount a shaft H upon one end of which we secure a suitabledrivawheel H and clutch mechanism H by means of which clutch mechanism the power may be thrown'on or off of the machine as desired. Upon the opposite end of the shaft H we secure a miter-gear J. l/Ve also place upon-said shaft H two cam-wheels K and K. 'The cam-wheel K having camgrooves in the sidesthereof, which are adapt- 40 ed, through the intermediate slides 7c and 76 mounted in the guides (1 to cause the slides D and D to'operate as hereinafter described. The cam-wheel K having a cam-groove in one side thereof, adapted through the oscillating lever L pivoted in the top of the post L tocause the slide F to operate as hereinafter described.

Within the bearings G we mount a shaft M, having secured upon one end thereof a miter-gear J which intermeshes with the gear J, and thereby causes the shaft M to rotate in unison with the shaft H. Upon the shaft Mwesecurecam-wheels N and N the cam-wheel N being'adapted to operate the block 33) adjacent to it,-andthe cam-wheel N being adapted, through the'slide n extending from said cam-wheelunderneath the frame A to-andconneetedwith the block E on the oppositesid'e-of theframe A, to operate said op- I 6 posite block "E, said blocks E and their attachedswages E, by means of said cams N and N beingcaused to approach each other andto recede from-each other as and for the purpose hereinafter described. The cam wheels N and N are provided with cam grooves in their sides, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, in which studs on the small arms 6 and a on one of the blocks E and slide a, operate to cause the .swages E to return to their open position as shown in Fig. 1. The cam-wheel N being also provided with a cam-groove in one side thereof, adaptcam-wheel 0., having in one side thereof a cam-groove adapted, through the lever O to cause the verticahslide B carrying said jaws B B to move upward sufficiently to allow said jaws to embrace the sides of a spoke, said cam-wheel 0 also having in the other side thereof another cam-groove adapted through the lever O to cause said jaws to securely clamp a spoke thereinbetweeu when they have been moved upward the required distance, as hereinafter described. And for operating the slide A we provide upon the shaft M a cam-wheel P adapted through the lever p, to cause said slide A to reciprocate as hereinafter described.

The fulcrums of the levers, n, O O and 7 are all made adjustable, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, so that the distance of move ment of the parts operated thereby can be properly adjusted.

For operating the clutch mechanism ll, we provide a foot-lever Q, and bell-crank and lever mechanism Q, Q, Q and Q and a spring 9 adapted to return the clutch to an open position when pressure is removed from the foot-lever The lever Q is adapted to be operated by the end of the slide a, to disengage the clutch when the blocks E E are moved backward, so that the mechanism hereinbefore described will come to a full stop after the inserting of each spoke. W hen the operator presses down the foot lever Q to start the machine, the lever Q, being lo sely mounted on the rock-shaft, and being held. back by the slide a does not move, but the spring Q between the levers Q and Q permits the lever Q and rock-shaft to rotate and operate the clutch lever Q which is rigidly secured upon the rock-sha'ft, to close the clutch and start the machine.

In operation the operator will place a wheel rim R on the supports C and C so that 139 the tip d upon the end of the slide 1) extends through a spoke-hole therein, and the upward extension C is between the hub-spindle and the wheel-rim R. The hub a of the wheel with its projecting spokes is then placed upon thehub-spindle A and carefully pressed down thereupon. A spoke S is then placed over the V-shaped cut in the upward extension C. The foot-lever Q is then pressed downward which w ill cause the clutch 1 3 O The slide A will then draw backward far,

enough to permit the outer end of the spoke S to clear the inside of the wheel-rim R upon the support C, as shown in Fig. 5. The slide F is then operated to move the end of the.

spoke S to a point in line with the end of the tip (1. The clamp-jaws B B will then move upward and securely grip the spoke S therebetween. The slide A carrying the wheelhub a and clamp-j aws B, will then move forward, the slide D and tip d rec'ede, and the spoke S be inserted into the spoke-hole vacated by the tip (3. The swages E then move forward against the sides of the end of the spoke S in opposition to each other with sufficient pressure to flatten the end of the spoke S, so that it cannot be withdrawn from the hole While the rest of the spokes are being inserted into their respective holes in the wheel-rim. The support 0 willthen dro down sufficiently to permit another spoke S to be moved into place, and the tip at will move artially forward again, when the clutch :1 is disengaged by the action of the lever n upon the lever Q, and the mechanism comes to rest, ready for the operation to be repeated, on each spoke until all the spokes in the wheel have been inserted or laced into the rim and ready for the riveter. One object of the machine being to loosely secure each spoke in its place in the rim, until all the spokes are laced, as otherwise it would not be possible to get them all put in place.

Having thus described the construction and operation of our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I V f l. The combination in a spoke inserting machine of a centering point to position a spoke-hole in a wheehrim, arim support, a clamp member to clamp the wheel-rim against the rim-support, jaws to bring the free end of a spoke into alinement with said spokehole, and slide mechanism adapted to move the wheel-hub forward and insert the spoke into said spoke-hole in a Wheel-rim, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a centering point to position a spoke-hole in a Wheel-rim, a rim-sup ort, a clamp member to clamp the whee rim against said support, jaws to move the free end of a spoke into alinement with said spoke-hole, a hub-spindle adapted to support the wheel-hub and move backward before the free end of the spoke is brought into alinement and afterward move forward to insert said spoke into said hole, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a centering point to position a spoke-hole in a wheel-rim, a wheel-rim support, a clamp memberadapted to clamp a wheel-rim against said support, a vertically operating jaw adapted, in conjunction with the rim support, to .move the free end of said spoke into alinement with said spoke-hole, a horizontally movable slide, a hub-spindle mounted on said slide, and cam mechanism adapted to cause said slide to move backward before the free end of the s oke is alined and forward to insert said spo e into the spoke hole in the wheel rim after the free end of the spoke has been alined, substan tially as set forth.

4. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a centering point adapted to position a s eke-hole in a wheel-rim, cam mechanism adhpted to cause said point to move forward to receive a hole in a wheel-rim and afterward to move backward to permit a spoke end to follow it into said hole, a wheelrim support, a vertical shoulder on said support having a V-shaped notch in the upper edge thereof, a clamping member, cam mechanism to operate the same to clamp a wheelrim against said vertical shoulder, a vertically operating jaw having an inverted V- shaped notch in its under edge adapted to move downward past said vertical shoulder on the rim su port to move the free end of a spoke into a inement with said centering point and spoke-hole, a horizontal slide, a iub-spindle mounted thereon, cam mechanism adapted to cause said slide and hub-spindle to move backward before the free end of the spoke is alined and then forward to insert the free end of the spoke into the spokehole, clampingmembers adapted to clamp the free end of the spoke before it is inserted into the hole, and cam mechanism to operate said clamping members, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a reciprocating slide, a centering point on one end thereof to enter a spokemounted on said slide, cam and lever mechanism to cause said jaws to move upward, and cam and lever mechanism to cause said jaws to close together, substantially as set forth. i

6. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a reciprocating slide, a centering point on one end of said slide adapted to enter and position a spoke-hole in a wheel-rim, cam mechanism to cause said slide to move forward to enter the centering point into a spoke-hole and backward to withdraw said point from the spoke-hole'to permit a spoke to enter same, a vertically reciprocating wheel-rim support, cam mechanism to operate the same, a vertical extension on the upper end of said support having a Vshaped notch in the upper edge thereof adapted to be extended upward behind a wheel-rim so that the apex of said V-shaped notch is in alinement'with the lower side of said centering point, a horizontallymoving clamp memher 0 erating against said extension, a horizon-ta slide, a wheel-hub spindle secured upon said slide, cam and lever mechanism to cause said slide to move backward before the free end of the spoke is moved into alinement with the spokehole, and afterward to move forward to insert same into said hole, a vertical slide mounted on said horizontal slide,

cam and lever mechanism to cause said vertical slide to reciprocate, jaw 'mechanism mounted on said vertical slide,.cam and lever mechanism to cause said jaws to close together when said vertical slide has reached its limit of upwardtravel, and to open apart before it starts on its downward travel, and

a vertical plunger tomove the free end of a spoke down into the apex of a \l-shaped' notch in the vertical extension on the rimsupport, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination in a spoke-inserting machine, of a horizontal slide, a centering point on one end thereof to enter a spokehole, a vertically reciprocating wheel-rim support, a vertical extension on the. upper end thereof having a V-shaped notch in the u per edge thereof, a horizontally movable 0 amp member to be moved forward against said vertical shoulder, a horizontally movable wheel-hub support, a hub-spindle secured thereon, a vertical plunger adapted to move downward to a point ad acent to SELHl' vertical extension and move the free end of a support, clamping jaws mounted thereon,

cam andlever mechanism adapted to cause saidverticall y movable wheel-rim support to clamping jaws mounted thereon will embrace an alined spoke, cam and lever mechanism to cause said jaws to close together when they have been raised to their highest point of vertical movement and to open before they start on their downward movement, and ,cam and lever mechanism to operate said vertical plunger, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a centering point to position a ,s oke-hole in a wheel-rim, a rim-support, a c amp member operating against said rim support, jaws to move the free end of a spoke into alinement with said spoke-hole, slide mechanism adapted to move the wheel-hub forward and insert the spoke into said spoke hole in the wheel-rim, and swages operating to flatten the free end of said spoke after it has passed through said spoke-hole to prevent said spoke-end from being withdrawn from said hole during the insertion of the remaining spokes into the wheelrim, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a spoke inserting machine, of a centering point adapted to position a spoke-hole in a wheel-rim, a rim support, a clamp-member to operate against said rim support-jaws to move the free end of a spoke mto alinement with a s )oke-hole, a hub-spindle to support a wheel-hub and move backward before the free end of the spoke is alined and then move forward afterward to insert the free end thereof into the spoke-hole, swaging jaws operating to flatten t 1 e end of said spoke after it has passed through said spoke-hole to prevent its withdrawal therefrom during the insertion of the remaining spokes in the wheel-rim, and cam mechanism to operate said swaging aws, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix oursignatures, in presence of'two witnesses.

JULIUS W. PEPLINSKI. CLARK F. THAYER. Witnesses:

Gno. A. STURGEON, H. SrUReEoN. 

